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Readmission of Service Members
In accordance with federal regulations, (34 C.F.R. § 668.18) and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Bucks County Community College (BCCC) will promptly readmit service members with the same academic status they had when they last attended the institution or were accepted for admission prior to deployment. This readmission applies to any student unable to attend school due to military service. The Office of Student Affairs and Veteran Services is the designated office at the college that a student will contact to provide both notification of service and notification of intent to return.
Eligibility
- This policy applies to service members who are unable to complete the term that they are attending, which would result in a withdrawal from BCCC.
A service member is eligible for readmission under this policy if their absence is due to military service, whether voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training, of full-time National Guard under federal authority.
The cumulative length of the absence and all previous absences from the institution for military service may not exceed (5) years. - The students must provide orders, or written notices, from their Commanding Officer, for a Uniformed Service Obligation to the Dean of Students or designee as far in advance as possible. This notice does not need to include when the student will return.
Notification of Intent to Return
Service members returning from active duty must submit a written notice of intent to return to BCCC within three years after the completion of the period of service. The student is required to provide official military obligation documentation to the Dean of Students or their designee.
Tuition and Fees
A returning student will be charged the same tuition and fees in effect during the last academic year the student attended unless veteran’s education benefits or other service member education benefits will cover additional costs. Subsequent academic years cannot be charged higher tuition and fees than those charged to other service members in the same program.
Readmission Requirements
Returning students will be permitted to reenroll in the next scheduled classes of their original program unless the student requests a later date or agrees to a different program. A returning student will be reenrolled in the same program of enrollment prior to the military service obligation. If the same program no longer exists, the student will be admitted into the program that is the most similar, unless the student requests admission to a different program. Returning students will be reenrolled with the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as in the last year of attendance.
If the returning student is not prepared to reenroll in the same program and academic status as deemed by the college, the college must make reasonable efforts to assist the student to complete the program with no additional cost to the student. If these efforts are not successful, or would create a hardship for the college, then the college is not required to readmit the student.
As per the federal guidelines, returning students who have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the Armed Forces, which includes the National Guard and Reserves, are not eligible for readmission under this policy. However, they may remain eligible for readmission even though they are not entitled to the benefits as described in this policy.